UBaba wethu uphendula isicelo sikaZedekiya
Inkosi uZedekiya ithumela izithunywa ithemba isimangaliso ngokumelene neBabele. Impendulo iphambene nesimangaliso — uBaba wethu uzolwa nomuzi wakhe uqobo. Abantu babekelwa izindlela ezimbili: bafele ngaphakathi kwezindonga, noma bazinikele baphile. Indlu yobukhosi kumele yahlulele ngobulungiswa.
21 1Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuBaba wethu, lapho iNkosi uZedekiya yathumela kuye uPashuri indodana kaMalkiya noZefaniya umpristi, indodana kaMahaseya, ethi: 2“Sicela usibuzele kuBaba wethu, njengoba uNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabiloni esihlasela. Mhlawumbe uBaba wethu uyosenzela ngokwemimangaliso yakhe yonke, ukuze isitha sisuke kithi.”
3UJeremiya wathi kubo: “Nitshele uZedekiya lokhu:
4Nakhu okushiwo uBaba ka-Israyeli: ‘Sekuseduze ukuba ngibuyise izikhali ezisezandleni zenu, enizisebenzisa ukulwa nenkosi yaseBabiloni namaBabiloni anivimbezele ngaphandle kodonga, ngiziqoqele phakathi enhliziyweni yalo muzi. 5Mina ngokwami ngiyakulwa nani ngesandla eseluliweyo nangengalo enamandla, ngentukuthelo, nangolaka, nangokufutheka okukhulu. 6Ngiyakubashaya abahlali balo muzi, abantu nezilwane ngokufanayo; bayakufa ngesifo esikhulu. 7Ngemva kwalokho, kusho uBaba wethu, ngiyakunikela uZedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda, nezinceku zakhe, nabantu abakulo muzi abasinda esifweni, enkembeni, nasendlaleni, esandleni sikaNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabiloni, izitha zabo ezifuna ukuphila kwabo. Uyakubashaya ngenkemba—engenaluzwelo, engabayeki, engenasihawu.’”
8“Tshela laba bantu lokho okushiwo uBaba wethu: ‘Ngibeka phambi kwenu indlela yokuphila nendlela yokufa. 9Noma ngubani ohlala kulo muzi uyakufa ngenkemba, ngendlala, nangesifo; kodwa noma ngubani ozinikela kumaBabiloni anivimbezeleyo uyakuphila, alondoloze ukuphila kwakhe njengempango. 10Ngibhekise ubuso bami kulo muzi ukuba ngiwenze okubi, hhayi okuhle, kusho uBaba wethu. Uyakunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseBabiloni, eyakuwushisa ngomlilo.
Izwi likaBaba wethu endlini kaDavida
11Yisho kuyo indlu yasebukhosini yakwaJuda: Lalelani izwi likaBaba wethu.
12Ndlu kaDavida, usho kanje uBaba wethu: Yahlulelani ngokulunga njalo ekuseni, nikhulule ophangiweyo esandleni somcindezeli wakhe, funa ulaka lwami luvuthe njengomlilo, lusha kungabikho ongalucima, ngenxa yezenzo zenu ezimbi. 13Bheka, ngimelene nawe, wena ohlala ngenhla kwesigodi, wena dwala lethafa, kusho uBaba wethu—wena othi, “Ngubani ongehlela phezu kwethu? Ngubani ongangena ezindaweni zethu zokuhlala?” a a v13 IJerusalema yayakhiwe egqumeni eliphakeme ngaphezu kwezigodi ezaziyizungezile, okwabanika abantu bayo ukuzethemba okungamanga kokuthi lo muzi awunakuhlaselwa. 14Ngiyakunijezisa njengokufanele izenzo zenu, kusho uBaba wethu. Ngiyakuphemba umlilo ehlathini layo, uqede konke okuyizungezile.’”
